The Ballad of Me and My Friends
by Bearison Ford
Summary: Where I shall drop the HaruMichi drabbles. Ratings may or may not vary. It really depends and there shall be notice.
1. Reasons

When asked what it was about Tenoh, Haruka that attracted Michiru to her, she would always remain silent for a moment, as if in a mental debate with herself. "It's the little things," Michiru would reply. "The one or two little things that no one else sees." But those one or two little things weren't one or two at all.

There would be the way that Haruka would always stop by the bakery near their house during her morning jogs, remembering to pick up some of Michiru's favorite bagels to go with breakfast. Or, on the subject of breakfast, how she would try to make the violinist breakfast in bed with Hotaru on the weekends and how both of them would end up with more pancake batter on their faces than in the pancakes themselves.

There was also the way Haruka would be willing to just stay in for the evening, cuddle up on their couch, just to watch whatever Michiru would put on. If, whenever Michiru could not find anything to watch, Haruka did put something on it would always turn out to be some half terrible teen romance fantasy thing.

She could count at least three separate occasions when Michiru had come home to her girlfriend lying on the floor, giggling to herself, while playing with kittens that she had saved. (Michiru always felt Haruka intentionally went out to find them.) "I couldn't just leave them there," the racer would say, with pleading eyes, a kitten draped across her face. "I'll take them to the rescue tomorrow." Then one night would become one week and Michiru would have to find the kittens homes herself.

Haruka would never admit to wanting a cat, but Michiru knew better. She found it adorable how the tall blonde would try to maintain her straight face composure when unexpectedly coming across her adorable fluffy weakness. Michiru couldn't help but feel her heart fill up while watching Haruka piece together that two plus two equals the grey and white bicolor tabby she came home to.

There were also the times that Haruka would fall asleep on their couch, with Hotaru on top of her, and Almighty Lord Nibbler (what Haruka absolutely insisted that the tabby would be named) curled up on top of her.

Of course there were other things that made Haruka attractive to Michiru. There was the fact that she just had a certain air about her that could make her look good in any outfit (no matter how unfashionable it would be on anyone else.) There was also how Haruka would pull her in closer on cold winter mornings, warming them both up. To Michiru's personal amusement, there was the fact that no matter how confident Haruka was, no matter how flirtatious she could be, it only took one or two choice words from Michiru to catch the blonde off guard and bring a pink hue to her cheeks.

There wasn't just one thing that made Michiru surrender her heart to Haruka. There were hundred of reasons, each taking an equally sized portion of Michiru's heart.

* * *

><p><strong>AN:<strong>_I couldn't sleep last night, so I decided to write a little. I will be storing random HaruMichi drabbles in here for future ease of use._


	2. In The Air

It had been days since the incident at the cathedral. When they had returned to the apartment they shared Haruka had gone straight to her room, leaving Michiru in their foyer emotionally shaken. So close. They were so close to losing each other before they even had a chance to start. All Michiru had wanted was to hold onto the tall blonde, be comforted by those strong arms, be assured that they were indeed alive, but instead all she had was a bedroom door.

They hadn't seen each other outside of school. Haruka had taken to leaving earlier than normal in the morning, leaving Michiru to make the journey to Mugen on her own. During the day Michiru could here the gossip of the other girls behind her back.

_Haven__'__t you noticed? Kaioh-san and Tenoh-san aren__'__t as close as they have been._

_Oh! I wonder if they've broken up? _(We needed to be dating for that, Michiru thought bitterly)

_This means I might have a chance with Tenoh-san! Oooohh! I should make him some lunch._

She decided that they would have to talk that night.

After eating dinner alone again, Michiru found herself at Haruka's door. "Haruka?" She asked, while knocking on her door. The only reply she got was the soft sound of music playing inside. "Haruka, please come out. We need to talk." Turning around, she leaned back against her new nemesis. "You can't just stay in there forever, you know." Michiru slid down to sit on the floor. She would wait her out. Haruka had to leave the room at some point.

Michiru felt the bedroom door open behind her back, sometime later, waking her up. She rubbed her face with a hand, looking up to see Haruka, who was dressed to go for a run, try to sneak past. That was it. It was now or never. Michiru reached out and grabbed one of Haruka's legs by the ankle, stopping her in her tracks.

"Let go Michiru." Haruka tried to break her leg free of Michiru's grasp, but her grip of desperation was too tight. "I mean it, let go. I don't have the time for this," Haruka said, annoyance slipping through in her tone.

"No. We need to talk and I've given you enough space."

Haruka was surprised at how fast Michiru could get up and pin her against the wall. Too close. They were too close. She hoped the cause of her troubles could not feel her panicked heartbeat. "We've nothing to talk about, Michiru," Haruka managed to reply. "You didn't have to watch, helpless, as someone close to you died. Didn't have to watch them put themselves in harms way with no concern of what would happen, of how I would feel."

They stood there against the wall, Michiru pressed against Haruka, pinning her down so she couldn't run from this. Green eyes staring pleadingly into stunned, emotionally charged blue, hoping that she would finally understand. Why did Haruka have to be so stubborn? Why couldn't she confide in her, trust her, share the feelings that both knew were there?

Michiru took one of Haruka's hands in her own, guiding it to rest above her own rapidly beating heart. "Why do you think I did that? Why do you think I risked everything in that moment for you? Even if we fail in saving the wo-"

"Michiru…"

Michiru closed her eyes and shook her head in frustration. "No Haruka, don't Michiru me. You will listen to what I have to say. Even if we fail in saving the world I would gladly fail a million times if I did so with you by my side. Don't you get it? You're my world to save."

"I…I just can't. This…us…we can't. There are too many innocent lives. You shouldn't be talking about failing." Haruka looked away and tried to pull her hand back, tried to move away, but Michiru just held on tighter. "Now let me go."

Letting go of Haruka's hand with a sigh, Michiru cupped her cheek, forcing her attention back to her. She could see Haruka's emotional wall being rebuilt and fortified. Michiru was losing her to Haruka's strong sense of duty. There was only one thing she could think of. Sliding her hand behind Haruka's head, she pulled her down into a kiss. It was soft and tentative at first, but quickly it was backed up with the strong emotions and unsaid confessions Michiru was determined to make her understand. It was not how she wanted her first kiss with Haruka to be, it shouldn't have been an act of desperation.

Afterwards, Michiru stepped back, waiting for the other's response. When none came she frowned and turned to head towards her room. "Remember, I've been here for you. I am here for you. And when this whole thing is over, when we complete our mission, I will still be here for you." With that, she started to walk away.


	3. Dive

"So how long are you guys going to keep dating but not dating?"

Haruka stood up from the shot she was preparing to take at the pool table. "Excuse me?" She thought she misheard Mina over the loud music coming out of the dive bar's juke box. "You're not bringing that up again."

Mina moved to lean against the pool table next to her best friend. "Look, I've been doing a very important scientific study while we've been playing this game. On what you may ask? The eye to ass ratio. I've caught Michiru covertly staring at your ass every time you've taken a shot from that end of the table."

"You know, there are times when I hate you," grumbled Haruka, glaring at Mina. She went back to taking her shot, though she was more self conscious of her decision to wear skinny jeans than she was before.

"Yeah, but you love me the other times." Mina watched as the two ball banked off of the corner pocket back into the middle of the table.

Haruka just shook her head. "How many times do I have to tell you? Michiru and I are only friends." She hoped that Mina would drop the conversation or get distracted by something else, like maybe the music or her own girlfriend who happened to be sitting at the same nearby table Michiru was at. Haruka doubted she would though. Her best friend had a one track mind and she had learned, through some very embarrassing moments, that Mina would not step down from an objective she established that involved Haruka.

A blonde eyebrow quirked up. "Really? Cause you know, I like to think we're pretty close friends. Let me tell you, I don't look at your ass nearly as much as she does. There's definitely some more than friends appreciation going on." Mina was ignoring that it was her turn to take a shot. She was determined to get Haruka to take some action.

"Wait, are you trying to tell me that you stare at my ass? Does Rei know that you have wandering eyes?"

The shorter blonde shook her head as she walked over to a small side where they had left their drinks. "Don't try to change the subject here." Mina was starting to get frustrated over the whole situation. She grabbed Haruka's drink and held it out to her, while taking a sip from her own, signaling that the game was on hold. This was serious business that had to be attended to. "I mean it. We all see it. _Everyone_ sees it. The two of you are practically married with all the shit you do together. For example, why is she here?"

Haruka just shrugged, taking a swig from her bottle. "Because she wants to spend time with us? Ever think she wants to hang out with her friends?"

"Yeah, but why would she come here? This place is a dive." Mina waved an arm around her, forcing Haruka to look around. She's was right, it was a dive. The walls were covered in 1970s wood paneling, the jukebox only had music from a minimum of twenty years ago, the linoleum floor looked like it could do with a replacing, and behind the bar was questionable at best. "I understand why we're here, the pool is cheap and so is the beer, but she doesn't like either of those things. If that's not love, I don't know what is."

The song that was playing had ended and was replaced with a classic rock song that neither really knew too well. Haruka took in another mouthful of her drink, while looking over at the green haired person of her affection. She really would have loved to be going out with Michiru, but she had already been rejected months ago. Not wanting to lose their friendship, she never had pushed the issue again. "Look, she's not interested."

"Bullshit."

"Truth. She turned me down months ago."

Pushing up the sleeves of her grey sweater, Mina leaned forward on the table. "Was that before or after you found out she was dating what's her face."

"Before."

"And she's no longer dating her now."

"Right," Haruka replied, rubbing the back of her neck.

"And there is no reason for you to not ask her again. Especially with the 'Fuck me' eyes she keeps giving you." Mina slightly nodded in the direction of the table the other two girls were still sitting at. Looking over, Haruka only saw Michiru laughing at something that was said in the conversation she was having with Rei. Blue eyes looked up and caught her own. Michiru smiled at Haruka, while nodding at something Rei was animately saying, before turning her attention back to what was being said. "See? Totally 'Fuck me' eyes. I practically give Rei that look like at least three times a day."

"I didn't need to hear that."

Mina grabbed her wrist and started to pull her towards the table, but Haruka tried to resist. "You're going to ask her out or I will send her those photos from last Halloween. I swear to whatever car company you're admiring at the moment I will. Don't tempt me."

The color drained from Haruka's face and she froze still. "You wouldn't. I thought you deleted those."

"You thought wrong."

Weighing the options in her mind, Haruka finally relented. "Fine, fine. I'll ask her. But it's your fault if I get angry at you when she decides not to talk to me again."

The two blondes crossed across the bar, pool game forgotten. Haruka fiddled with the bottle in her hands, her nerves becoming more prominent the closer she got. She could still turn around, she could try to steal Mina's phone to prevent her from sending those photos, she could still-

"What the?!"

Haruka's attention was drawn towards the question. She noticed Mina was frantically wiping at Rei's chest with a small napkin, her plastic cup empty and sitting on the table. "Oh, I'm so, so sorry Rei. I must have been bumped into by someone. I didn't mean to spill my drink on you. Come on, let's get you to the bathroom and see if we can clean this up."

Rei stood up holding her arms out, the front of her dark blouse even darker from where Mina's drink had landed over it. "Dammit Mina, this was my favorite blouse."  
>"I know, I know. I really am sorry. <em>NowletsgotothebathroomsoIcanhelpyouwithit.<em>" Grabbing her girlfriend's arm, Mina started to lead them off in the direction of the women's bathroom, leaving behind a nervous Haruka and mildly concerned Michiru.

Sitting down where Rei once sat, Haruka focused on her beer bottle. She held onto it with both hands, using it as an anchor to the table. As long as she was holding onto it she convinced herself to not back out of her decision. It did not mean she was calming down, the edge of the beer label was showing proof of that. "Uh, Michiru?"

"Yes?"  
>A nervous cough to clear her throat. "I was wondering, that is, maybe, possibly, you'd want to go out with me, sometime?" The end of the question came out in a rush and Haruka focused in on her anchor, her thumb playing with the label's edge. She braced herself for the rejection but instead felt a soft, warm hand on top of hers, calming her down. Looking up she saw a smile cross Michiru's face.<p>

"I'd love to. Actually I was wondering if you wanted to come over after we were all done here."  
>A goofy grin grew across Haruka's face as everything finally processed in her head. "I'd love to. To….to. I did say to right?" Michiru just laughed.<p>

Peering through the crack of the slightly pried open bathroom door, Mina shook a fist in victory as she watched the other two leave hand in hand, some moments later. "Victory is mine!"

"Dammit."

Mina turned around and smiled at Rei. "Pay up. A deal's a deal."

"I don't think ruining my shirt was part of the deal."  
>"All's fair in love and war, Hino." Mina placed her hands on her hips, taking an authoritative posture.<p>

Rei grumbled something under her breath. "Fine, fine. All hail Minako Aino. Goddess of Love. Never shall I question her matchmaking abilities again." Rei rolled her eyes at the last bit. "How'd you manage to finally get her to do it?"

"What and give away my trade secrets?" Mina asked, looking shocked at the very thought of her telling her tricks to others. Rei just motioned at the stain on her blouse and Mina just sighed. "Fine, fine. I'll tell you just this once. I bribed her with the Halloween photos."

A confused look crossed Rei's face. "I thought you deleted those? Saying, and I quote, 'No person on Earth should have control of the power that those gave you'. End quote."

Mina just smirked. "Yeah, well, Haruka doesn't know that."


End file.
